


Baby Judith

by reigningqueenofwords



Series: One Moment in Time [5]
Category: The Walking Dead AU - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 11:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18342959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reigningqueenofwords/pseuds/reigningqueenofwords





	Baby Judith

Being a cops kid meant that they didn’t have to wait to report you missing. The second they knew you were gone, you would be looked for. Every police officer that worked for your father would know you’d run away, neighboring precincts would have a picture of you, your description, known friends, and any other detail that could be used to find you. The local television station would be airing your picture in the evening news, as well.

You just hoped that you could hide out long enough to be forgotten. Afterall, he did just fine before you knocked on his front door, right? He’d be just fine without you now. He’d have Judith in no time, and he had Carl.

As you started to see the sky change from a deep blue that it was almost purple to a lovely orange and red, you paused. A chill ran down your spine as you glanced back the way that you had come from. You’d been walking nearly three and a half hours, and Rick would be waking up soon. The only hint to why you’d left was left with Lori- the way you wouldn’t look her in the eyes, the way that you were extra quiet around her, little things that he hadn’t noticed when you were still there.

Taking a deep breath, you shook the guilt off and started walking away from the road. You’d followed that as long as you dared. Now you opted to head more towards the trees. The only place that you could think to go was back home- to your friends. The friends you had before your mother shipped you off to a stranger.

* * *

Rick sipped his coffee, glancing to where Lori was packing Carl’s lunch now and then. Carl was across from him eating a bowl of Fruity Pebbles, looking like he wanted to just crawl back into bed. “Hey, buddy, you seen your sister?” He asked, wondering if you’d overslept, or got sick. Rick pretended not to notice the look on Lori’s face at that.

“No.” Carl shrugged.

With a sigh, he got up. “Eat your breakfast. I’ll go wake her up.” He grabbed his mug and headed upstairs. Rick hoped to drive you to school and talk to you about how you’d been acting lately. He was worried, and wanted to help.

His knuckles tapped on your door, not wanting to just walk in in case you were changing. After a moment, he tried the handle, slowly opening it. His brows furrowed when he saw an empty room. Setting his mug down on your desk, he noticed your closet was partially empty, and your duffle was missing.

Lori turned when she heard Rick rushing downstairs, grabbing his keys, phone, hat, and jacket. “Rick?” She asked, worried. “What’s going on?”

“She’s missing.” He told her, putting his arms in his sleeves. “Y/N is gone.”

“She probably snuck out to meet some boy and hasn’t come back yet.” Lori rolled her eyes, worry being replaced with annoyance. “Calm down.” She waved off his nerves. “I’ll ground her after school.”

Rick stared at his wife. “My daughter is missing, and all you care about is grounding her?” He asked in disbelief. “Carl. Go get dressed for school.” Fighting in front of Carl was not something he preferred to do. “Now.” With that one word, Carl was out of his chair, and up the stairs in no time. “Care to tell me what your problem is lately?”

Lori turned to him, a hard look on her face. “My problem?” She asked, as if he was stupid for asking.

“Yeah, what’s going on with you?” He asked again.

* * *

Somehow, you’d managed to stay gone almost a week. Granted, you hated to think what that did to your grade, or your future…but you did what you had to. You had no idea how close Lori was to having your sister, you had no idea how Carl did with the science fair, you didn’t know how your friends were, or even how your father was. All you knew was you had to keep moving.

It was close to ten on your sixth night gone when you gave in and sat down. You were in some park, and you weren’t even sure what town you were in at this point. Sighing, you pulled your knees up to your chest, and let your forehead rest against them. Your arms wrapped around your legs, and you did everything not to think about everything that happened since you stepped off that damn bus.

“Miss?” Your head snapped up at the voice, looking straight at a cop. He held his flashlight up, looking serious. “I’m sorry, but you need to come with me. You’re trespassing.”

Swallowing, you acted like you would go along peacefully, just to grab your bag and run. You could hear him running after you, talking into his walkie, probably telling someone that he was in pursuit or something.

* * *

Rick was smiling as he looked down into the face of his newborn daughter. Lori was resting, and he was walking around her hospital room, humming lightly. “Sheriff?” Rick looked over to see one of the nurses looking in. “There’s an officer on the phone at the nurse’s station for you.” She said quietly.

“I’ll be right there.” He nodded, moving to put Judith back in her little bassinet. He smiled as she slept before following the nurse out towards the phone. “Hello?” He answered, one hand on his hip.

“Sheriff Grimes, this is Officer Stanley.”

Rick nodded, even though he couldn’t see. “Officer, how can I help you?” They’d met a few times in the past, and as far as Rick knew, he was a good man.

“Y/N is with us. She was arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest.”

“Wait, what?” He asked, furrowing his brows. “Arrested?” While he didn’t know you well, that didn’t sound like you. 

* * *


End file.
